The British Council’s Accelerating English Language Learning in Central Asia (AELLCA) programme is a transformative initiative designed to enhance English language teacher education and professional development across five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Why English proficiency matters
Governments in all five countries recognise the critical role of English proficiency in fostering economic and social development. AELLCA addresses this priority by modernising teaching curricula, introducing innovative methodologies and providing ongoing professional development for teachers. These efforts contribute to more inclusive and higher-quality education systems across the region.
The programme has two strategic outcomes:
- Outcome 1: Pre-service English language teacher training (PRESETT) in Central Asia is more modern, inclusive and aligned with best international practice by strengthening curricula, leadership and inclusive teaching and learning practices.
- Outcome 2: English language in-service teacher education is modernised by improving the INSETT policy framework, embedding school-based approaches to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and modernising INSETT programmes.
Programme activities
AELLCA includes a range of initiatives designed to transform English language education:
- Online trainer training course: The Assured Certificate in Teacher Education (ACTE), awarded by City and Guilds, is delivered to pre-service and in-service educators, building a network of English Language Teaching (ELT) professionals across Central Asia.
- English and inclusion accelerator scheme: Eleven collaborative partnerships between UK and Central Asian higher education institutions are being established to advance English teacher education, creating sustainable and scalable solutions for the future.
- Regional policy discussions: In all five countries to engage major programme stakeholders to get a clear understanding of key national teacher education priorities and key dimensions of national PRESETT reform, to discuss examples of good practice, conduct PRESETT curriculum mapping and agree policy level recommendations around PRESETT development leading to consolidated national PRESETT modernisation road maps.
- Professional development of the PRESETT leadership programme: For university rectors and prorectors in Central Asia in collaboration with Cambridge University Press to inspire innovation and to create CPD-focused inclusive culture in PRESETT universities, as well as to encourage good practice sharing and peer support among academic leaders from five Central Asia countries and the UK.
- PRESETT Community of Practice: Bringing together PRESETT leaders and teachers from higher education institutions from all five countries and offering them a series of 12 webinars on PRESETT-related topics presented by UK consultants, UK partner universities and national consultants to share good practice and experience of providing PRESETT programmes, to raise awareness of the rationale, steps and processes involved in reforming PRESETT and embedding CPD and inclusion and to create a strong foundation for the sustainable development of PRESETT reform. The recordings of the webinars are available below:
Webinars
Country-specific initiatives
In addition to regional activities, AELLCA implements targeted programmes in individual countries:
Kazakhstan
In collaboration with the Orleu National Training Centre, AELLCA delivers ELT course designer training to develop effective teacher training systems and resources tailored to regional needs.
Accredited five CPD courses for English school teachers are planned to be delivered to English teachers across Kazakhstan.
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan
Building on the outcomes of the scoping visits and MoUs signed as part of the AELLCA project, as well as ongoing discussions with the directors of national INSETT institutions, offer support and consultancy to modernise national in-service teacher training.
Uzbekistan
- Expand a national pilot to mainstream and foster CPD in PRESETT curricula in Uzbekistan and develop capacity to implement the approach throughout the curriculum in all PRESETT universities.
- Expansion of our CPD induction programme to 218 additional schools from the current 116 schools. This includes training CPD champions, mentoring and strengthening school-based professional development practices, in collaboration with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Preschool and School Education.
- Roll-out of the new national in-service teacher training programmes for all subject teachers – developed by AELLCA project in 2024–25 in partnership with the Ministry of Preschool and School Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Gender and inclusion
The AELLCA project – designed to advance initial English language teacher education, improve Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and promote inclusive educational practices and policy across five Central Asian countries – takes a systemic and embedded approach to promoting gender equity and inclusive practices across its strategy, communication and specific project activities in alignment with the British Council’s values. The project commits to promoting gender-equitable pedagogical practices through data collection and analysis, monitoring and reduction of barriers to participation, trainer and teacher training and classroom practices as well as content development and curriculum reform.
Funded by the UK government through UK International Development, AELLCA is part of the Accelerating Education Attainment for Resilience – Central Asia (AEAR-CA) programme. This initiative strengthens education systems with a focus on teacher competency, quality assurance and English language development, in line with the national education reform priorities of all five countries.
By integrating UK expertise with local insights, the British Council is fostering significant advancements in teaching practices and student outcomes.